


Guide me Towards Salvation (aka Four times Ash picked up and the one time he didn't)

by Emony



Series: All Weather Inspiration [5]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-09
Updated: 2010-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-06 00:57:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emony/pseuds/Emony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four times Ash picked up and the one time he didn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guide me Towards Salvation (aka Four times Ash picked up and the one time he didn't)

**Author's Note:**

> Team Roadhouse - #10 - Manips - [see KaylaShay's manip here](http://www.tthfanfic.com/Story-11142-100)  
> First posted 28 June 2007.

i.

Xander watched as Buffy left the room, a smile on her face. The 'I've just won a battle face'. She had. Why it needed to be him that called he hadn't figured out. The guy was her friend, sure they'd clicked or something, but still-

He heaved a sigh and picked up the phone. As he did the door opened again and Buffy's head appeared,

"I'm calling, I'm calling!" he shouted over to her, dialling the number.

"Good!" she shouted, laughing as this time she actually went away.

_Hello, you've reached The Roadhouse._ A female voice answered.

"Hi, I'm calling to speak to Ash, thanks," he babbled out.

_Can I ask who's speaking and what it's about?_

Xander resisted the urge to say that she could ask,

"This is Xander Harris and it's about some research," no sense in telling some unknown woman at the end of the phone that he was calling about this month's apocalypse.

There were sounds of a scuffle from the phone,

_Hey, Xander._ He grinned, the first sound of sane male, other than Giles, that he had heard in weeks. Maybe Buffy had been right to persuade him into being the one to do the calling this time. Although, that did not mean she would get away with it. He tuned back into Ash's babble as he set aside his plans for payback.

***

ii.

Xander was once again being 'persuaded' to call Ash. This time it was Willow doing the persuading. She didn't want to call the man herself; she still didn't like his friend. His- maybe more than that. Or maybe it was something more than that, a resurfacing of the old Willow, the less secure in herself Willow.

"Xander, please?" she was on the verge of bringing out the resolve face. After the last time she'd pulled that out he wasn't going to risk it, he'd been grovelling to a dozen different slayers for weeks after that one.

"Fine, fine," he made shooing motions with his hands as he reached for the phone. She almost ran out of the room and was gone by the time his finger dialled the first digit of the number.

_Hello, you've reached The Roadhouse._ A female voice answered.

"Hey, Ellen."

_Xander Harris, you'll be wanting Ash, then?_

"Sure, thanks, Ellen."

He waited a moment as he heard Ellen shout for Ash over the low hum of the bar.

_He's coming._

Xander smiled as he heard Ash grab the phone from Ellen, and Ellen's laughter at his antics - and the threat too, if he ever tried that again.

_Hey, Xander._

"Ash, how's life?"

_You know,_ Ash answered and Xander could almost see the man scratch his neck and brush his hair out of the way.

***

iii.

Xander locked the door to his room at the Council House and then laughed, the only person in the building that that lock would stop was himself. At least it was a hint that he wanted to be alone. He reached for his mobile and dialled the first number in his contact list.

_Hello, you've reached The Roadhouse._ A female voice answered.

"Hey, Jo," he said and then pulled the phone from his ear as he heard her half squeal down the phone,

_Xander!_

He sighed, soon enough she'd get over the crush, most likely the next time the Winchester's walked back through her mother's front door.

"How's it going, Jo?"

_As well as it ever is, Xander. Are you and Dawn visiting some time soon?_

"As soon as school's finished for Dawn."

_Great, you'll want to talk to the genius, then?_

"Yeah," again he pulled the phone from his ear as she shouted to be heard over the noise of the bar.

_Hey, Xan!_

"Ash."

***

iv.

Xander watched from his spot on the only free bench in the mall as Dawn and Jo entered yet another store. It looked liked they'd be entertained for a while yet. He pulled out his phone and dialled, after a few moments a familiar voice answered,

_Hello, you've reached The Roadhouse._

"Hey, Ellen. Is Ash around?"

_He is,_ she answered, _Ash, phone!_

He heard Ash shout something back,

_Apparently he's busy,_ she laughed, _he's half asleep on the pool table again._

He laughed as heard her shout that it was Xander on the phone, and then at the crash that followed.

_Xander!_

"Ash, did you just fall off the pool table?"

_No..._

"Of course not, in the same way that I didn't fall over Buffy's axe last week," He rubbed his knee where there was still a bruise.

_Exactly!_

"Are you busy?" he asked, a small smirk appearing on his face as he did so.

_No. But don't you have the teenage terrors with you?_

"They're in another store, I've got a while. You fancy some inspiration?"

_Xander, you do remember that this phone is in the bar, right? And that you're in a mall._

"It can't be all that busy, you were asleep."

_Yeah, but, but, Dean and Sam just walked in._

"Yeah, right. If they had I'd be able to hear Dean by now."

_Gimme a minute_

"K, what are you doing?"

_Isn't it supposed to be what am I wearing? And I'm trying to get in a position where Ellen can't see me._

"That'll probably let her know what we're up to."

_At least she won't be able to see._

"Fine. So, what _are_ you wearing?"

_Xander!_

As Xander put the phone down he swore he had heard Dean's voice in the background, _huh_, looked like he'd be in trouble when he brought the girls back.

"Xan, you ok?" Dawn asked from his side, "you look a little flushed?"

"Huh? Where'd you come from?" he asked.

"Jo and I have been standing right here for the last few minutes, Xander."

Xander would have believed her if it weren't for the way too innocent looks on both her and Jo's faces, he narrowed his eyes,

"No, you haven't. And I'm fine-"

"Just giving Ash some _inspiration_, right?" Jo snarked at him with a wicked grin on her face.

"Jo!"

***

v.

Xander had a nasty feeling in his gut. One he'd learnt never to ignore, even from an early age. Sunnydale did that to you, even when you believed the lie.

He picked up the phone and dialled the number more familiar than his own.

_The number you have dialled is not in service. Please hang up and try again._

End.


End file.
